Every time I share a design board or product round-up on the blog or Instagram, I always get flooded with questions about how to create a digital design board. In my Instagram highlights, I have a highlight titled “mood board” that has a video explaining all the details. However, I decided to add a more permanent resource here on the blog.
I use the Pages program on my Mac and it is basically like Word. However, it’s a little easier to work with and move photos around. It’s kind of like Word and PowerPoint all in one. So I really like using it for all of my room makeovers, shopping guides, or any time I have an idea in my head that I just need to “see”.
HOW TO CREATE A DIGITAL DESIGN BOARD
First, I start out by creating a white rectangle, with a border and drop shadow to make it look like an actual page. It is fun to do since everything is so digital and this gives the board a little more life. Using more shapes, I also create the “tape” at the top of the page. I then lock these shapes under the Arrange tab, so that they don’t move during editing. Under the File menu, I then save this as a template so it doesn’t have to be recreated every time.
When sourcing for the products and design, I browse all my favorite retailers. From the retail websites, I screenshot (command, shift, 4) the product image. Or I will left-click and “save as” to my desktop depending on what I need from the image. Then, I can drag and drop into the Pages document.
Under the Arrange tab, click stay on page and change the dropdown to none to prevent the pictures from moving around when you don’t want them to. I use the instant alpha button under the Image tab, to remove any background color from the product image. It makes the design board look more realistic when the images can be intertwined together without being boxy. For example, layering pillows on the bed or adding a group of vases on the table.
Here you can see the difference when not removing the background images. I personally, think it makes a big difference when wanting to create a professional-looking design board. Then, I just move and/or resized everything until it looks right. These are just a few tips and tricks I use and really enjoy. I hope you can use these tips the next time you want to create a digital design board!
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